apps

by Marlene Fanta Shyer I was waiting for the light to change on a corner of Times Square when I felt a jostle. My tote, which I always hold as close as a papoose, was open, but everything inside is always sealed behind zippers. My new smartphone, though, with its red battery protector/charger, was a beacon in its sleeve, just pleading to be snatched. Sure enough, I spun around and there were two teenagers, a boy and a girl, standing there, trying …

Digital giants like Facebook, Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft would all like to be the home base for your mobile phone or tablet. The challenge is keeping you connected to them even when you’re doing something completely different. Here’s an example: the annoying decision you have to make whether to log into a new app with Facebook instead of creating yet another user name and password. The screen often says something like: “Can NewApp access your personal information, including your profile and …

Hundreds of health applications these days can track our weight, steps, caloric intake, blood pressure – and even our friends’ workouts at the gym. And those diagnosed with an ailment can go online to get answers to health questions or share their stories with others suffering from the same illness. Sure, this can be useful for consumers seeking to take control of their health. These new outlets, however, raise other questions: Who else is looking at our medical information? And …

News last week that a North Carolina woman died in a head-on car crash while posting selfies and Facebook updates brings home the hope for “connected cars.” More cars connected to the Internet, the argument goes, would help, not distract, drivers. With hands-free, eyes-on-the-road communication and entertainment as the norm, we might hear fewer such horror stories. Related: Top Ten Technologies for Mature Drivers We’re definitely moving toward connected cars. The market for hardware, software and apps that connect cars …

Office for iPad is here, including Word and Excel and PowerPoint, the applications so many of us have grown up with at work. Is this the set of applications that will change how you use your iPad? Cost. You can download the applications separately, and they’re free. Sort of. They’ll let you open and read documents and spreadsheets and presentations. But you can’t edit or create documents unless you fork over $99 a year for a subscription to Microsoft’s Office 365 – or pay as …

Here’s some good news for the tech-challenged! No matter how many travel apps you have on your smartphone, they can’t replace the kind of serendipity you’ll find when you follow your gut. I’m not saying that a good app doesn’t come in handy, especially for navigating through those last-minute travel disruptions that seem so commonplace these days. For example, I always download the app of the airline I’m traveling with so I can easily rebook cancelled or delayed flights. HotelTonight …